Geolocation as used in this application refers to the process or technique of identifying the geographical location of a person or thing by means of digital information processed via computer or Internet based applications. Geolocation also refers to the identified geographical location. The applications for identifying geolocations (“geolocation applications”) are generally configured to display the resulting geolocation via a user interface to a map or other visual representation on a display screen. Various geolocation applications exist for locating on a map an address or a latitude/longitude point (a “point geolocation”) at ground or street level.
Geolocation of an address within an urban environment can be challenging when, for example, the address is located inside a building on a floor that is above or below ground/street level. A geographic location positioned above or below ground/street level is referred to as a three-dimensional geolocation (or “3D geolocation”). Accurate 3D geolocation is important, particularly in emergency situations when response time can be greatly reduced by locating an address within a building as quickly as possible. Accurate 3D geolocation is also important economically as, for example, it can reduce delivery time for goods and services.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,188,444 (the '444 patent) discloses a computer system and method for correcting the placement of an object on a map or an image representing a 3D geolocated scene. The system disclosed in the '444 patent in part uses a distance between a camera that captured the 3D scene and one or more structures in the scene to calculate the depth data for structures in the image. Because the system relies on depth data of structures in the geolocated scene (i.e., structures above ground level), it appears that the system would be challenged to calculate, for example, geolocations for areas not represented on the image, such as floors in a building that are located below ground level. Furthermore, the accuracy of depth data estimated from images may be subject to the quality and interpretation of the images.
Accordingly, there is a need for a computer system and method for more accurately and more consistently determining a geolocation within an urban environment to at least a building floor level above or below ground/street level.